Grip strength is a simple measure, but it can tell you more than how firmly you can hold a dumbbell. Researchers use it to study strength and physical function, and clinicians may include it when assessing older adults for low muscle strength. The result still needs context: age, sex, body size, hand dominance, health, and testing method all affect what a number means.
There is no single grip strength score that every person of a certain age should reach. A useful comparison is an age and sex reference range measured with a hand dynamometer, a device that records how forcefully you squeeze. These ranges describe groups of people. They are not personal goals or a diagnosis.
What grip strength can tell you
A grip test measures the force produced when you squeeze as hard as you can. It is an accessible way to assess one part of muscular strength, and population studies have found that grip strength differs by age and sex. It is also associated with health and physical function in older adults. That does not mean a grip score can diagnose a health problem by itself, or that it measures every aspect of fitness.
Grip strength is specific to the hands and forearms, even though it may reflect broader patterns in strength and health. A person can have a strong grip and still have weak legs, poor balance, or limited cardiovascular fitness. The reverse can also be true. A hand injury, arthritis, pain, or a different test setup can affect the result without reflecting a change in overall strength.
How grip strength changes with age
Large studies show that grip strength is not expected to remain exactly the same throughout adulthood. In international data covering more than 2.4 million adults from 69 countries and regions, average grip strength peaked around ages 30 to 39 and declined at older ages. The average peak in that analysis was about 49.7 kilograms for men and 29.7 kilograms for women. These are group averages from many studies, not minimum targets for individuals.
A US study of adults ages 18 to 85 also found differences by age, sex, and hand dominance. In that sample, the average dominant hand score for men was highest in the 25 to 29 age group, at 49.7 kilograms. The lowest reported average in the study was 18.7 kilograms for the nondominant hand of women ages 75 to 79. Those two figures come from different age groups and hands, so they should not be compared as if they were the same measurement.
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These patterns help explain why a score should be compared with an appropriate reference group. A result that is typical for a person in their 70s may be below the average for someone in their 20s. But averages do not define what every healthy person should score. There is natural variation within each age group, and population norms can differ between countries and studies.
Your age is only one part of the comparison
Sex and body size influence grip strength reference values, and the dominant hand is often stronger than the nondominant hand. Hand size, health status, occupation, training history, and familiarity with the test can also affect a score. A useful comparison therefore matches the person’s age and sex and uses a consistent testing method.
The broad age trends are guides rather than a prediction of what will happen to any one person. A lower score later in life is not automatically evidence of disease. Equally, being younger does not guarantee a high score. Grip strength reflects a combination of muscle capacity, health, and measurement conditions.
What counts as low grip strength?
Clinical guidance uses specific cutoffs to help identify older adults who may have low muscle strength. The revised European consensus on sarcopenia uses grip strength below 27 kilograms for men and below 16 kilograms for women as a marker of low strength. These thresholds are part of a clinical assessment process. They are not age specific strength targets, and a score below one of them does not, by itself, confirm sarcopenia.
In that guidance, low strength is considered a reason to investigate further. A clinical assessment may also look at muscle quantity or quality and physical performance. This matters because a single squeeze test cannot explain why a score is low or establish a diagnosis. A clinician can interpret the result alongside a person’s health, symptoms, and other measurements.
The thresholds also serve a different purpose from age based population norms. A norm describes how a group tends to score. A clinical cutoff helps identify a level that may warrant assessment in a particular context. Someone can be below their age group average while remaining above a clinical cutoff, or score below a cutoff for reasons that require proper evaluation.
How to measure your grip strength consistently
A hand dynamometer is the standard tool used in many research and clinical settings. To make a home or gym result more useful, use the same device and setup each time. Differences in the equipment or method can change the recorded value, which makes comparisons less reliable.
A typical test involves adjusting the dynamometer handle to fit the hand, keeping the wrist and forearm aligned, and squeezing as hard as possible without leaning or using the body for leverage. A common research protocol records three attempts for each hand. Follow the device instructions and rest between attempts, especially if repeated squeezing makes your hand tired or uncomfortable.
Record which hand you tested, the device used, and whether you are recording your best attempt or an average. Avoid testing through pain. If you have a recent injury, persistent hand pain, or a medical condition that affects the hand, ask a health professional whether testing is appropriate and how to interpret the result.
For personal tracking, repeat the test under similar conditions. Testing after a hard workout, when you are tired, or with a different handle setting can make it harder to tell whether your strength has actually changed. A single score is only a snapshot. Repeated measurements using the same procedure are more useful for tracking a trend.
Should you try to increase your score?
Grip strength can be trained through activities that challenge the hands and forearms, as well as through broader strength training. But a higher dynamometer score is not the only measure of progress. Your training goals may involve lifting, carrying, climbing, or maintaining everyday function, and a grip test does not capture all of those abilities.
If improving grip is part of your goal, choose exercises suited to your experience and equipment, and increase the challenge gradually. Stop if you feel sharp pain, numbness, or worsening symptoms. If grip weakness is new, getting worse, or interfering with everyday tasks, a health professional can help assess possible causes rather than relying on a score alone.
For older adults, grip testing can be one useful part of a wider assessment of strength and function. It should be considered alongside other abilities, such as standing from a chair or walking, when a clinician is evaluating mobility and muscle health. The broader picture is more informative than one number.
How strong should your grip be for your age?
The most accurate answer is that your score should be interpreted against a reference for people of a similar age and sex, using a comparable test method. Average grip strength tends to peak in early to middle adulthood and decline later, but a population average is not an individual requirement. Body size, health, hand dominance, and the equipment used can all change the comparison.
If you want to track your own grip strength, focus on consistent testing and changes over time. If a result seems unexpectedly low, or you notice a decline in hand strength or everyday function, discuss it with a healthcare professional. A dynamometer can provide useful information, but it cannot explain the result on its own.
Key Takeaways
| Topic | Key takeaway |
|---|---|
| Age trends | Average grip strength tends to peak around ages 30 to 39 and decline later in adulthood. |
| Reference values | Compare your result with a reference for your age and sex, using a similar test method. |
| Clinical cutoffs | European guidance identifies less than 27 kilograms for men and less than 16 kilograms for women as low strength cutoffs in its sarcopenia assessment pathway. These are screening thresholds, not personal goals or standalone diagnoses. |
| Test consistency | Use the same dynamometer and setup when tracking changes over time. |
| Interpreting a score | Grip strength measures one aspect of strength and should be considered alongside health and physical function. |
References
- Bohannon, R.W. (2019) ‘Grip strength: an indispensable biomarker for older adults’, Clinical Interventions in Aging, 14, pp. 1681–1691.
- Cruz-Jentoft, A.J., Bahat, G., Bauer, J. et al. (2019) ‘Sarcopenia: revised European consensus on definition and diagnosis’, Age and Ageing, 48(1), pp. 16–31.
- PhenX Toolkit (n.d.) ‘Grip strength protocol’. PhenX Toolkit.
- Tomkinson, G.R., Lang, J.J., Rubín, L. et al. (2025) ‘International norms for adult handgrip strength: a systematic review of data on 2.4 million adults aged 20 to 100+ years from 69 countries and regions’, Journal of Sport and Health Science, 14, article 101014.
- Wang, Y.C., Bohannon, R.W., Li, X., Sindhu, B. and Kapellusch, J. (2018) ‘Hand-grip strength: normative reference values and equations for individuals 18 to 85 years of age residing in the United States’, Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 48(9), pp. 685–693.
